7th Sun
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7th Sun

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"The Palisadian Post"

7th Sun:

In difficult times, people often turn to sunnier bands for escape. But 7th Sun’s chief singer/song-writer, JT Curtis, questions how musically upbeat his blues-wallowing band really is.

“In blues songs,” reasons Curtis, “the lyrics are about having the blues, but the music is about getting over the blues.”

7th Sun shows its classic rock, blues and jam-band roots in “From The Beginning,” the first album by the new incarnation of Curtis’s PaliHi-formed group. The CD eases in with an instrumental jam (“Courage in B Minor”), rocks the title track, kicks into some Led Zeppelin-type drums (“Hard and Slow”), reprises said title track towards the album’s end, and closes with “Get Together,” a call-to-arms to the common man from all walks of life.

Curtis, the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, just turned 23 last week. He attended Santa Monica College for about a year before enrolling in USC’s Thornton School of Music. The new incarnation of 7th Sun includes bassist Adam Kury (who also plays with Seattle grunge veteran Candlebox), keyboardist Mike Russeck, and drummer Stephen Quadros.

Curtis counts such baby-boomer favorites as the Allman Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd and B.B. King among his influences (In fact, 7th Sun evolved from a Cream cover band).

Save for the track “New Generation,” “a lot of songs on the album were songs written while I was in PaliHi,” says Curtis, who co-wrote such tunes as “My Time” and “Hard and Slow” with PaliHi pal Colin Cronin. Cronin is no longer in the band, but Curtis has Cronin’s blessing to continue performing and recording their songs.

“[The song] ’From The Beginning’ is one we used to play quite frequently,” Curtis says. “We played a couple Battle of the Bands, benefit shows, PaliPalooza. We also played at the Whiskey, the Troubadour and Malibu Inn.”

“’New Generation’ was a sort of description of what’s going on in the world,” Curtis continues. “I take on these personas – a guy going out to war, a kid walking down the street, an overview of that world and the idea that this culture can overcome the obstacles in society by coming together and trying to figure out what it can do.”

It might come as no surprise that Curtis embarked on a musical career, as his mother, Palisadian Becky Curtis, is also a career rocker. A local resident for 16 years, Becky has worked with Graham Nash and Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, and she used to front the rock band Becky and the Blu Tones.

“She used to sing with Otis Blackwell, who wrote for Elvis Presley, while she was pregnant with me,” Curtis says.

7th Sun began recording their new album in the summer of 2007, completing it this summer. “From The Beginning” was partially recorded at Curtis’s Highlands home. Of all of the tunes, he enjoys “Big Man” the most.

“We played it a lot live,” he says, “and by the time we recorded it, it was really incendiary.”

Curtis now looks forward to tomorrow night’s record release party/concert in West Los Angeles, where an array of special guests will take to the stage. Carlos Cavazo from the ‘80s metal group Quiet Riot will sit in with 7th Sun, while saxophonist Jimmy Z (Rod Stewart, Tom Petty, Dr. Dre) will play with opening act Becky Curtis Band.

An old soul, JT Curtis has his issues with today’s music industry.

“There’s not a lot of room for creativity, for one thing,” Curtis says. “I’m a fan of classic rock and new things. I get turned off by the same production quality, same sound over and over again.”

Another thing that dismays Curtis are critics who lump bands in categories.

“We tried to figure out, ‘Are we a jam band? A blues band? An alternative band?’” Curtis recalls. “Then we realized, ‘You know what, let’s just make something up.’ I said, ‘How about supernova rock?’ and that sounded perfect. So we call ourselves a supernova rock band and we let everyone else figure out what that means.”

7th Sun will perform at its record release party on October 17, 8:15 p.m., at the Palmer Room, 3387 Motor Ave. Special guests: Becky Curtis Band and Susannah Crowley. Admission: $10. Visit 7thSunBand.com and www.myspace.com/7thsun.
- Michael Aushenker


"7th Sun"

7th Sun really rocks. With its timely, provocative lyrics and timeless gut-grabbing music, “From the Beginning” should launch 7th Sun into the big time. The debut album by this California band led by JT Curtis is brimming with gritty vocals, stinging guitars and heady, heartfelt harmonies. “From the Beginning” is a fresh new take on the classic roots rock sound of legendary acts like the Allman Brothers Band and Derek and the Dominos. - Steve Israel ~Syndicated Reviewer~


"CD Reviews: From the Beginning ~ by: 7th Sun"

Singer-songwriter-guitarist JT Curtis and his band 7th Sun have constructed a 10-track debut release that turns out to be a kind of "concept album," consisting of songs that question the authority of the status quo, and look to a re-awakening of the same sort of fellowship and forward movement that was felt back in the Sixties. After a jazz-flavored instrumental overture entitled “Courage in B Minor,” the title track thrums with a vibration that seems to be re-“discovered” by every waking wave of young dreamers. The Woodstock Generation sang of “getting back to the Garden,” not so far from where JT Curtis might seek to start. “From the Beginning” is a rocking disk, courtesy of a band that includes bassist Adam Kury, who also adds vocals, along with drummer Stephen Quadros and keyboardist Michael Russeck, plus contributing guitarists Jason Land and Ron Scalera. After an earnest exhortation to “get it right... from the beginning,” “New Generation” extends that theme, coming alive with honky-tonk piano and gritty slide guitar leads. “Fields of Fire” elicits a soft, dreamy vibe, while “Hard and Slow” ultimately hits the listener with an assault that ends up hard and fast. “Big Man” is patently political, containing a taste of “Taps” for subjective interpretation. A reprise of “From the Beginning” jams with a driving, bob-along urgency, heading into the swampy, bass-heavy surge of “This Is Not the End,” which includes a dynamic drum solo. And then, “Get Together” ties together all the thematic threads explored throughout the preceding songs, all of which, one realizes, were message songs, spurring yet another listen, to glean all the meaning. JT Curtis might not have the strongest or most far-ranging voice around, but he surely has one of the more sincere, and what he has to say is well worth listening to. Find the “from the beginning” CD and more info at 7thsunband.com. - Rob Swick - All Access Magazine


Discography

FROM THE BEGINNING

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Bio

7th Sun has just finished recording their debut record, which has now been mastered, pressed, and ready for release. 7th Sun is a Los Angeles based rock group whose supernova musical roots run the gamut from classic rock, progressive rock, funk rock, alternative rock, and jam band. The high energy concept album is entitled From the Beginning, and the band's instrumental firepower, with lyrics that juxtapose both the uplifting idealism and the unknown darkness of modern-day culture, is driving this album into the subterranean rock market of the music industry.

JT Curtis, 23 years old, is the band's lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and chief songwriter. Armed with his Les Paul Gibson, Curtis' energetic guitar playing, singing, and burning desire to play music has turned heads from California to Austin, Texas to New York City. Curtis has also written production music for CBS television, and other music houses in LA and in NYC. Adam Kury plays bass guitar and his melodic influences and intense rhythms drive the band; he shares lead vocal duties. Kury also plays with the grunge band Candlebox. Stephen Quadros is the band's drummer extraordinaire; intensity, precision, and originality are just a few adjectives to describe his abilities. He also provides backup vocals. Quadros is known throughout the world as "The Fight Professor," a broadcaster for mixed martial art shows, including Showtime and EliteXC. Michael Russeck is the band's very talented young keyboardist, playing organ, piano and lending a hand with vocals. Russeck is also an accomplished painter and aspiring actor.

Steve Isreal, syndicated music critic reviewed the band's new album:
"7th Sun really rocks! With its timely, provocative lyrics and timeless gut-grabbing music, “From the Beginning” should launch 7th Sun into the big time. The debut album by this California band led by JT Curtis is brimming with gritty vocals, stinging guitars and heady, heartfelt harmonies. “From the Beginning” is a fresh new take on the classic roots rock sound of legendary acts like the Allman Brothers Band and Derek and the Dominos."

Go to the 7th Sun's site or MySpace to purchase the album:
http://7thsunband.com
http://MySpace.com/7thsun